BIOGRAPHY
This year London DJ, Producer, Remixer and Events
Co-ordinator MR MAGIC aka Jimuphy Masters celebrates
22 years of contributions to the underground house scene.
This is not just a tremendous achievement and
testament to the numerous releases, remixes and executive
productions over the years but gives an insight to his love &
dedication for the scene. Starting at the tender age
of 14 in London’s Shoreditch (under the name JM EASY) he
took just a few years to weave his way into the underground
house circuit playing alongside legends like the Shamen’s MR.C,
Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson,Frankie Bones & Kid Batchelor
initially in warehouse parties and then established club
events such as The Pirate Club,Dance Daze and
Symbiosis. In 1990 after an 18 month stint as Pirate Radio DJ
for CRYSTAL FM spreading the latest US house to eager London
ravers & enthusiasts alike he was approached to manage
CLIMAX FM alongside his partner in crime DAVE ‘D-BOY ’
STEWART (later famed for massive drum n bass hit singles
like ‘Eternity’ under the guise SUBJECT 13). This proved
significant as together the station became a major rival
to KISS FM (still just a Pirate station at the time) and
ment they kick started the careers of successful artists and
DJs like SARAH HB and DJ SEDUCTION
By ‘92 a chance meeting with a magazine editor FEMI
of ’CHECK DIS’ lead to an article which featured a review
of the infamous mixology now associated with JM’s sets and his
passion for fusing ‘Soulful’ vibes with deep techy house beats.
It was this article that led to JM becoming a reviewer
for the magazine and joining the well known music industry
promo team ’PHUTURE TRAX’ breaking new releases by new
artists to A and B list DJs, working alongside NICKY TRAX
(famed for exposing numerous underground artists to
mainstream PRESS) and PAUL‘Radical’ RUIZ responsible for
nationl radio airplay for countless dance acts and labels in th UK.
This alliance over a two year period would propel JM into
national and international notoriety. It was during this period that
he formed R2001 with LUKE COKE earning him remix and
production acclamation for singles like ‘YOUR TOUCH’ & the Victor
Simonelli classic ‘DO YOU FEEL ME’. Other notable production
alliances were to follow with KEITH THOMPSON then famous
for the vocals on ‘BREAK FOR LOVE’ by RAZE.
But his involvement in the dance industry didn’t stop at his
productions,Djing or label promotions.
His enthusiasm for NEW YORK,NEW JERSEY,CHICAGO and
CANADIAN house labels caught the attention of album compilation
giants REACT MUSIC. He was then drafted in to put togther 3
major compilation titles that would lift the lid on Soulful House
or as he called it back then ‘CULTURAL HOUSE’. JM
received compilation credits for ‘STRICTLY RYHTHM’ vol.1,
‘NERVOUS RECORDS’ vol.1 and KINKY TRAX vol.1.
His involvement with US underground house labels earned him
the offer of starting his own label CULTURAL VIBE.
This was a dream come true and soon afterwards JM was in
NEW YORK signing up artists for his own compilation CULTURAL
HOUSE vol.1 featuring trax by MAW, JOE T, TOMMY MUSTO and
featured labels like BOTTOM LINE,EMOTIVE and MAXI records
The release of this album in the UK and subsequent singles
earned exposure on both sides of the atlantic and enabled JM to
launch a sister label ‘CULTURAL VIBE UK’ for British artists.
Regular interviews with the likes of BOBBY & STEVE on KISS
FM, Deli G @ Galaxy FM & Press reviews from all major dance
publications, such as MIXMAG,ECHOS & NME became the norm.
After returning to London from the States, JM took up a bold
offer in the UK of resident DJ at THE ARENA, spreading
‘CULTURAL HOUSE’ to the novice clubbers and putting the
North East of England on the map.Needles to say within a short
period it worked and opened the door for more US artists such
as MASTERS OF WORK to agree to perform at THE ARENA &
rival venue THE EMPIRE, for which JM played support.
Sudden changes in his personal life forced JM out of the industry
for a few years but his undying love for music ment he would
re-emerge with 2 new labels in 2000 under several pseudonyms,
namely PHUNK SABOTEURS, MILO & MR MAGIC.
Quality clubby house releases like ‘Move your body’ &
‘Feel so good’ on O’Bleek City Recordings saw a return to first
class reviews and acclamation from industry pundits especially
from the online press for the edgy breaks found on his
O’Bleek Intelligence label.
However, his comeback seemed incomplete until he was
introduced to an Australian singer Shawnee Lister in 2004
whilst she was performing at the BrixtonTelegraph, S.London.
A partnership soon emerged which saw the combined vocals of
Shawnee and production talents of the by now highly experienced
MR MAGIC on subsequent O’Bleek City releases namely
‘THE WORLD OF MAGIC’ ep vol3
Not content with singular projects the newly converted Soulful
house vocalist Shawnee embarked upon an elaborate project
with JM to form a Soulful house label primarily dedicated
to vocals. But, a visit to her home town Sydney was required to
assess the scene in Australia and announce the fact that they
were now married. In her view it was now very important that
Soulful house spread its wings from the northern hemisphere out
to Australia.
Upon their return to London from Sydney in 2005 JM & Shawnee
formed SOLESERVICE RECORDINGS, where along with
HEIDI S,DONNA WILLIAMS and DARREN JOHNSON. The first
release ‘SOLESERVICE COLLECTIVES’ vol.1 featured all vocalists
brilliantly showcased in a faultless album, all tracks amazingly
produced and mixed by JM aka MR MAGIC. Critically aclaimed on
all fronts, the alliance of MR MAGIC & SHAWNEE on the dance
floor belter ‘BODY FLOW’ earned them a place on Sony Music
compilation PRIVATE PARTY vol.1 alongside
MIGUEL MIGS, LISA SHAW and MASTERS OF WORK etc.
This was the catalyst needed to embed Soleservice as a long
term project which would see the label launch a club night
‘SO FULL’ SUNDAYS in the heart of Shoreditch where it all began
for JM nearly 2 decades earlier.
This amazing story with its twists and turns doesn’t end there.
JM.EASY aka MR. MAGIC aka JIMUPHY MASTERS after having
moved the SOLESERVICE LABEL to Sydney, Australia is set to
explode with the label and its umistake sound infecting all who
hear it. Remixes of at least 4 trax from SOLESERVICE
COLLECTIVES vol.1 are scheduled for release later in 2008
following the introduction of Soleservice Events and a new night
in Sydney aptly named ‘CLUB UK’ headed of course by the
inimitable JM EASY aka JIMUPHY MASTERS aka MR MAGIC.
